What
would bring you happiness in a world that was suddenly empty?
For
Lucy Crane, the answer is simple: her daughter. When her husband is killed in a
tragic accident, Lucy loses her desire to live, but only one thing keeps her
going – her unborn daughter. Focusing on being a mother helps Lucy cope with
her loss, but kids grow up and they leave home, eventually. Eighteen years
after losing her first and only love, Lucy is faced with the opportunity to
find the happiness for which she’s always longed. Her own fears become her
worst enemies as she learns how to embrace love once again.
Evan
Donovan is also facing his own struggles. Forced to retire from the FDNY
because of lung damage caused by 9/11, Evan moves to upstate New York where he
hopes to find a little peace and quiet. Old habits die hard, and Evan’s hero
complex and survivor’s guilt constantly remind him of how difficult it is to be
vulnerable. But for the first time in his life, he’s tired of being alone.
Drawing
strength from one another, Lucy and Evan discover how beautiful it is to let
love be a part of their lives.
Read an excerpt:
“Oh, I love this movie.” She settles on Forrest Gump as I grab my second slice.
“So, you already know about my history.
What about you? Have you ever been married?” Forrest’s proposal to Jenny plays
in the background.
“No. I mean, I’ve had a few relationships
here and there, but work always got in the way. Staying single was somehow
easier.”
“Same here. I mean, when Melanie was a
kid, it was much easier to just focus on that part of my life.”
“Now?” I hazard a question that takes
even me by surprise.
She puts her plate down on the coffee
table and swallows back a large sip of water. “Now, I’m not so sure.”
Suddenly, my mind races with the
possibilities of what her words mean. It’s crazy to think how just a few
encounters with Lucy have made me re-evaluate my feelings. Obviously, she feels
the same way. A calm and peaceful air falls on us as a small smile curls at my
lips.
A comfortable silence fills the space as
we watch the movie, recalling some memories when certain scenes come up.
Nothing prepares me for Lucy’s reaction
when Jenny and Forrest get married and she tells him she’s sick. I try not to
look at her, wanting to avoid making her feel like she’s in the spotlight or
anything like that. I do notice a few stray tears streaking down her cheeks so
I can only imagine what’s to come.
As we watch Forrest sitting beside
Jenny’s grave, reading a letter from their son, Lucy reaches for a napkin.
Clutching it to her chest, I can see her breathing rapidly. What were just a
few tears earlier is now a steady stream. She doesn’t say anything, won’t even
look at me, but I can’t watch her cry like this.
I shift on the small, overstuffed sofa
and drape my arm around her. The top of her head fits perfectly into the crook
of my shoulder. The scent of her hair takes over my senses; the sound of her
softly sniffling through her tears tugs at my heart.
I alternate between squeezing her arm and
tracing my fingers up over her shoulder. When she seems to have gathered her
emotions, calming down a bit, my instincts take over and I act seemingly
without thinking.
Or
maybe I am thinking and I’m just afraid of what I’m thinking.
Gently pressing my lips to the top of her
soft, brown hair feels like second nature. She tenses momentarily, and I
realize I may have just overstepped my boundaries.
“Sorry about that.” I straighten in my
seat and try to move my arm, but her fingers fall to my forearm. She looks up
at me through long lashes with puffy, red eyes from crying.
“Don’t be.” Her voice is soft,
angel-like. “It’s nice to be held.”
That piece of information prompts me to
pull her even closer. “Well, I’m glad I could be of service.”
She laughs softly and then takes a deep
breath before she shifts to move away from me, which just makes me pull her
close once again. “Don’t,” planting another quick kiss to her head, “it’s nice
to have someone to hold.”
http://www.amazon.com/Let-Love-Be-The-Series-ebook/dp/B00J1PVIIS
http://www.amazon.com/Let-Love-Be-The-Series-ebook/dp/B00J1PVIIS
About Melissa
Melissa
Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that
her nose was always stuck in a book. She
followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English
teacher. Her hope was to share her
passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a
classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream.
Her
passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early
2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion,
angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own
took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series
was born.
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